The present invention is directed to eyeglasses provided with at least one reversible arm that can be manipulated to fold in towards the outer (front) face of the lens retaining portion of the frame, thereby covering it. The arm can be attached to the frames in a variety of ways. For instance, the attachment can be mechanical, or magnetism may be employed in fixing the arm to the frame. Several structural arrangements are described that permit reversal of the arm from a position behind the lens retaining portion of the frame to a position in front thereof. The arm can then be folded to cover the front and back sides of the lenses.
In the predominant, but hardly exclusive arrangement, eyeglasses are provided with a frame portion having a lens-retaining portion having sides that are joined by a hinge to the arms. The arms are positioned on the rear side of the frame portion, and move from an open position in which the arms can be positioned over the ears of the wearer, and a closed position in which the arms extend over the back side of lenses.
The present invention is directed to an eyeglass frame with a reversible arm. That is, at least one arm of the two arms is reversible from a position where it extends behind the lens retaining portion of the frame to a position where it extends in front thereof. This arrangement places the arm in front of the lens retaining portion. By positioning one arm in front of the lens retaining portion, and the other arm behind the lens retaining portion, each arm covers a side of the lens retaining portion of the frame when the arms are folded. That is, when the arm in front of the lens retaining portion is in the folded state, the arm covers the front side of the lens retaining portion. When the arm in back of the lens retaining portion is in the folded state, it covers the back side of the lens retaining portion. This provides a measure of protection for the lenses.
By xe2x80x9ccoverxe2x80x9d, the applicant means that the arms, when in the closed position, provide a total or partial blockage of lenses that are situated within the lens retaining portion. The blockage takes place on both the front and rear sides of the lens retaining portion. The blockage provides a measure of protection to the lenses, and should prevent the lenses from sustaining damage if they were to come in contact with any number of objects that could inflict such damage, such as keys, pens, coins, compacts, lip stick cases, etc., to cite an example of just some objects that could damage the lenses if the items are commingled in a backpack or in a pocketbook. A hard surface such as a table top may also inflict damage. Therefore, by xe2x80x9ccoveringxe2x80x9d the lenses, as meant by the term, and in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein (and undisclosed variations thereon), the need for a glasses case may be obviated.
Also, it should be understood that with the applicant""s invention, it is only necessary to cover the lenses. It is not necessary to encase the thickness dimension of the lenses or lens retaining portion, or to cover or encase the end portions of the lenses or lens retaining portion. In this arrangement, the lens retaining portion is not encased on all of its sides, that is, the thickness dimension of the lens retaining portion is not covered on all or a portion of the top side (adjacent the forehead), bottom side (adjacent the nose and cheeks), and end sides (the area where the arms are mounted). Thus, while more than the front and back sides may be covered, not all of the aforementioned sides are encased.
In covering the lenses, the arms of the eyeglasses may be provided with a height dimension that is equal to or less than the height dimension of the lenses, or equal to or less than a height dimension of the lens retaining portions. Also, the arms of the eyeglasses may be provided with a length dimension that is equal to or less than the length dimension of the lens retaining portion.
xe2x80x9cCoverxe2x80x9d, as used herein, is shown throughout the drawings. FIGS. 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E show total or partial blockage of the front and rear faces of the lens. They show that the lens retaining portion is not encased. The thickness dimension on the top, bottom and end sides is not encased. See also FIG. 7D where the top and bottom and end sides are not encased (but the lenses are totally blocked). See also FIG. 9D. FIG. 27 shows an embodiment where only a portion of the thickness dimension of the top side of the lens retaining portion and lenses is covered (and not encased). FIG. 28 shows another embodiment where a portion of the lens retaining portion is covered (and not encased). FIG. 29 shows an embodiment where a portion of an end side of the lens retaining portion is covered, and not encased. FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a pair of eyeglasses where the front face is partially blocked and a portion of the thickness dimension on the top side is also partially covered (and not encased). These Figures are not meant to be inclusive of all variations. They are merely exemplary of the meaning ascribed to xe2x80x9ccoverxe2x80x9d in the present specification. Other variations, still within the scope of the definition, are possible.
Reversibility of one of the arms can be provided for in a variety of ways. Positioning of the reversing hinge in front of the lens retaining portion is one way to provide for reversibility. Another way is to align the reversing hinge off of the intersection of the axes of the arm and lens retaining portion. Yet another way is to provide a hinge that allows the arm to swing up and over (or down and under) the lens retaining portion. In yet another embodiment, the lens retaining portion is not employed and the hinges are mounted to the lenses and the arms or arm if assemblies.
In yet another embodiment, the arms are provided with hinges that twist in order reverse the direction in which the arms fold. When the arms and the lens retaining portion are provided with curved shapes, reversing the direction of the arms by twisting them at the hinges aligns the curved shapes so that the arms can fold into the lens retaining portion and cover the lenses.
Yet other embodiments employ magnetism to join the arm to the lens retaining portion. The arm and frame portion may be provided with magnetic material, that is, material that is susceptible to the influence of magnetism, or which is capable of exerting the influence of magnetism on another object. As used herein, xe2x80x9cmagnetic materialsxe2x80x9d include magnets and material that is susceptible to the influence of magnetism.
The invention may also employ a coupling or couplings of components that are provided on the arm portion and the frame portion. These components are engaged when the arm and front frame portion are joined together. The couplings may prevent the arm from rotating until the desired time to do so. The couplings may be a peg and socket pairing, or protrusion and recess in which the sidewall of the recess is gradually tapered. These arrangements provide resistance to the rotation of the arm at times when such rotation is not desired, such as when the user is wearing the glasses, or removes them temporarily, such as to clean them.
In one embodiment, a coupling of a magnetic material and a magnet is provided, with one being provided on the arm and the other being provided on the frame portion. In another embodiment, the coupling is a pair of magnets, one provided on the arm, the other provided on the frame portion. The poles of the magnets are arranged to attract each other.
In another embodiment, the magnetic material is arranged in a peg and socket pairing, with the magnetic material being used to construct at least a portion of the peg, and further being provided at a location in the socket, or in the vicinity of the socket to exert a magnetic force. For instance, the magnetic material can be placed at an end of the socket, in the walls that define the socket, or behind the walls that define the socket. The peg or socket may be the magnet, or merely a material subject to the force of magnetism, or the peg and socket may each be constructed in part of a magnet.
In yet another embodiment, the magnetic material is arranged as a protrusion and recess provided on the arm and the frame portion. The sidewalls of the recess and the sidewalls of the protrusion are tapered in order to allow for the displacement of the protrusion from the recess upon exertion of a sufficient force. A construction with this arrangement can permit the rotation of the arm from the backside portion of the frame portion to the front side of the frame portion.
In yet another embodiment, the magnetic material is arranged as a coupling of materials on the arm and the frame portion, each component of the flush materials being substantially flat, or flush.
In one embodiment, the arm has to be removed from the frame portion in order to effect the reversal in position from the back frame to the front frame. In yet another embodiment, the arm can be rotated without being detached in order to effect the reversal in position from the back frame to the front frame. In yet another embodiment, the interface where the protrusions, openings, magnetic members etc. are located is on the front face of the front frame portion. In yet another embodiment, the joinder regions are provided with a peg and socket arrangement that is located between a pair of substantially flush magnetic materials.
Variations on these embodiments are possible, the construction of such embodiments would be readily apparent to the skilled artisan from the teachings and suggestion of the present disclosure.